The present invention comprises a new and distinct variety of Viola, botanically known as Viola×hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the variety name ‘Sunny Jim’. ‘Sunny Jim’ originated and was selected from a large population of hybrid seedlings from an open pollinated Viola breeding program which was started by the inventor in 2010. The breeding program was conducted in a greenhouse nursery in Lincoln, Lincolnshire, United Kingdom. The aims of the breeding program are to produce a series of new Viola varieties exhibiting a range of flower colors borne on vigorous plants which are highly scented.
In spring 2011, the inventor organized open-pollination using combinations of selected unnamed and unreleased seedlings retained from previous breeding cycles. The male and female parents of ‘Sunny Jim’ are unknown. Seeds were harvested in late summer 2011, sown and grown over winter as seedlings which flowered in spring 2012. ‘Sunny Jim’ was selected by the inventor in spring 2012. The inventor selected ‘Amy’ together with the inventor's co-pending varieties ‘Amy’ (U.S. Plant Ser. No. 14/998,506), ‘Bonny’ (U.S. Plant Ser. No. 14/998,508), and ‘Sweetheart’ (U.S. Plant Ser. No. 14/998,505) for their close similarity in plant habit and flower size and in order to create a consistent and uniform series.
‘Sunny Jim’ was first vegetatively propagated by the inventors in spring 2012 using asexual shoot cuttings. ‘Sunny Jim’ has been found to reproduce true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation.